Anthony van Dyck
 |
Self Portrait With a Sunflower |
Sir
Anthony (
Anton)
van Dyck (
22 March 1599 –
9 December 1641) was a Flemish
painter — mainly of
portraits — who became the leading
court painter in
England. He was also a master of
etching.
Van Dyck was born in
Antwerp and became an independent painter in
1615. In his younger years, he was the chief assistant of
Peter Paul Rubens. In
1620, he came to
England for the first time but did not succeed in getting presented to King
James I. After four months he returned to
Flanders. He then went to
Italy where he remained for 6 years, studying the Italian masters and laying the foundations of his career as a successful portraitist. In
1627, he went back to Antwerp where for some years he painted a host of masterpieces.
His reputation reached the ears of
Charles I of England, who recalled him. In
1632, Van Dyck again arrived in
London. His success in England was rapid. He painted portraits of King Charles,
Queen Henrietta, the king's children, the
Earl of Strafford and countless other personages at court, in addition to images of himself and his mistress, Margaret Lemon. In the later part of his life he only gave finishing touches to the portraits which were for the most part painted by his pupils after his own designs. He was charming to his patrons, which added to his ability to obtain commissions.
In July 1632, he was knighted, and in
1633 elected
painter to the king. He received a considerable
pension and married the daughter of
Lord Ruthven. In
1634, he took a short journey to Antwerp, and in
1641, another one to
France.
Anthony van Dyck died in 1641 in London, and was buried in
St. Paul's Cathedral.
Van Dyck had a great influence on English
portrait painting. Therefore, some scholars call him the founder of the
English school of painting.
Van Dyck was also known for painting portraits of people having short, pointed beards, and that's why this particular kind of beard was named after him a
vandyke. During the reign of
George III, a generic "Cavalier" fancy-dress costume called a
Van Dyke was popular;
Gainsborough's 'Blue Boy' is wearing such a
Van Dyke outfit. The oil paint pigment
van Dyck brown is named after him [
1].
Image:Anthonis van Dyck Self Portrait.jpg|"Self Portrait", ca. 1621 Alte PinakothekImage:Van Dyck Charles I.jpg|Charles I of England, ca. 1635Image:George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol.jpg|George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol, ca. 1638â€"9*
List of Belgian painters*
Anthony van Dyck - Olga's Gallery*
Catholic Encyclopedia article
